§19301 National Clean Energy Incubator Program

Summary

Creates a Clean Energy Incubator Program that must be set up by the Secretary, through the Chief Commercialization Officer, within 180 days. The program will give competitive grants to clean energy incubators. A clean energy incubator is an organization that helps get new clean energy technologies into the market by offering things like workspace, labs, prototyping facilities, business training, counseling, and mentorship. Incubators can be part of a National Laboratory, a college, or a government program. Grants should, when possible, go first to incubators that work with local or regional partners, help startups making hardware, software, or both, are spread across different U.S. regions, are in or partner with economically distressed areas, help rural, Tribal, and low-income communities, support entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds, and have a plan to keep going after the grant ends. No more than $4,000,000 may be given to incubators in one State in a single fiscal year. Grants can last up to 5 years and may be renewed for up to 3 more years after review. Grant money can pay operating costs. The Secretary must send an evaluation of the program and incubator performance to the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Congress authorized $15,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027 for this program.